Culture

2025.06.29

Explained: the uses and roles of kaishi paper – from disposable plates to money envelopes and memos, plus tips for tea ceremony etiquette

What comes to mind when you hear the word kaishi (懐紙)? It refers to traditional Japanese paper that is folded and carried in the kimono, typically in the front fold, so it is typically thought of in relation to its use in formal tea ceremonies—something far removed from everyday life.

But in fact, kaishi has many practical uses in day-to-day settings too. If you learn to use it with elegance, it’s sure to add a graceful charm to your routine. So, how exactly can it be used?

Is kaishi really that versatile? Here’s how it can be used

Kaishi as a disposable plate

「懐紙」を使いこなして女子力UP! 日常生活でも使える活用術

There are plenty of occasions outside of a tea ceremony where you might be offered sweets. If the sweets aren’t individually wrapped (even if they’re just shop-bought snacks!), rather than picking them up directly with your fingers, placing them neatly on a sheet of kaishi adds a touch of refinement.

Wrapping money when you don’t have a decorative envelope

「懐紙」を使いこなして女子力UP! 日常生活でも使える活用術

Forgot your decorative envelope but need to return some borrowed money? Or want to give your nephew a little pocket money but feel odd handing it over bare? That’s where kaishi comes in handy. No need for elaborate folding—simply fold it into thirds and tuck the note inside. It instantly feels more thoughtful and polished.

A handy substitute for a quick note

「懐紙」を使いこなして女子力UP! 日常生活でも使える活用術

Whether adding a note to a gift or just wanting to express a quick thank you, writing your message on patterned kaishi paper makes it that much more special. It’s far more charming than scribbling on a plain sticky note or a scrap of notebook paper.

A handy substitute for a coaster

When the bottom of your glass is wet with condensation, simply fold a sheet of kaishi in half and use it as a coaster. Some types of kaishi are highly absorbent, so you don’t have to worry about it going soggy or falling apart!

So many ways to use it!

・Wrapping money when you don’t have a decorative envelope
・A quick alternative to a note
・A substitute coaster

And even more…
・Wiping lipstick marks from a glass
・A base for serving food
・A replacement for a handkerchief or tissue
・Even a chopstick holder!

How to use kaishi properly – its roles and etiquette

If you practise or study the tea ceremony, this might be second nature—but for those unfamiliar with kaishi, there’s a lot that isn’t widely known. Here’s a helpful guide to its correct use and role during a tea party.

Use stacked together – that’s the proper way!

「懐紙」を使いこなして女子力UP! 日常生活でも使える活用術▲Using a single sheet of kaishi can be unstable… (Photo by Shinohara Hiroaki; same below)

It’s not technically wrong to take a single sheet when eating a sweet, but in a tea ceremony where there may be no plate or table, using the entire bundle is the proper and more stable way. It certainly provides better support.

Where should the sweet pick (Kashiyoji) go?

「懐紙」を使いこなして女子力UP! 日常生活でも使える活用術▲The sweet pick is traditionally placed between the sheets of kaishi

While you might not carry one around on a daily basis, the kashiyoji (菓子楊枝)—a small pick used to eat Japanese sweets—is essential at a tea gathering. When invited to a tea ceremony, guests typically bring a folding fan, kaishi, and a kashiyoji tucked inside a fukusa (袱紗, a silk cloth). To keep the small pick from getting lost inside the cloth, it’s customarily slipped between the sheets of kaishi. That way, you won’t find yourself scrambling, thinking, “Where did I put it?”

Cleaning the sweet pick? Kaishi to the rescue again

「懐紙」を使いこなして女子力UP! 日常生活でも使える活用術▲Even the act of wiping it clean can be graceful…

After finishing your sweet, simply putting away a dirty kashiyoji isn’t ideal. Here again, kaishi is your friend. Fold it neatly to catch any crumbs, and gently wipe the pick clean. It’s an elegant, discreet gesture that keeps things tidy.

Honestly—kaishi is such a wonderfully versatile item. I think I’ll start carrying them on me from tomorrow!

Text and photography by Kimura

This article is translated from https://intojapanwaraku.com/rock/gourmet-rock/2543/

Tag
Share

アダチきむら

1994年生まれのさそり座の女。地元・北千住を愛す。大学在学中、和樂編集部で3年間アルバイトをする。就活に挫折していたところ、編集長に捕獲される。好きになるものの偏りが激しいことが悩み。最近心に響いたコトバは「お酒は嗜好品ではなく必需品」。アルコールは正義だと思っている
おすすめの記事

“Three treasures” cherished by a Japanese designer who enjoys both saké and tea

和樂web編集部

'Taiyaki Wakaba', the famous anko sweet store that legendary Author is raving about!

和樂web編集部

Coffee shops and Japanese sweets shops to visit on your trip to Kyoto! A compilation of nine of the best shops in Kyoto that the locals are raving about

和樂web編集部

“Three treasures” cherished by a Japanese designer who enjoys both saké and tea

和樂web編集部

人気記事ランキング

最新号紹介

※和樂本誌ならびに和樂webに関するお問い合わせはこちら
※小学館が雑誌『和樂』およびWEBサイト『和樂web』にて運営しているInstagramの公式アカウントは「@warakumagazine」のみになります。
和樂webのロゴや名称、公式アカウントの投稿を無断使用しプレゼント企画などを行っている類似アカウントがございますが、弊社とは一切関係ないのでご注意ください。
類似アカウントから不審なDM(プレゼント当選告知)などを受け取った際は、記載されたURLにはアクセスせずDM自体を削除していただくようお願いいたします。
また被害防止のため、同アカウントのブロックをお願いいたします。

関連メディア